THE IRISH INSIDER

Toby Darby returns with his deep dive into Sunday’s Irish action as he looks to Navan to find his best bets of the day.

13:40 NAVAN

The market appears wide open, with no clear standout at the time of writing. That said, I’m particularly drawn to the chances of El Fontenaro, who has performed admirably on her last two outings, finishing close on both occasions. This contest looks no tougher than those, and she arguably brings stronger recent form than most of her rivals. The extra half-furlong should pose no concern and could, suit her.

Skillman Ave is another coming into this in decent form, having beaten This Ain’t Texas (who finished fourth) last time out. Notably, Skillman Ave remains well-in at the weights once jockey allowances are applied, despite that victory so should confirm the form.

EL FONTENARO (WIN)

15:25 NAVAN

The sole three-year-old in the field, Red King, benefits from a handy weight-for-age allowance and looked much improved last time with the application of first-time blinkers. If the headgear works its magic once more, then a return to a shorter trip and similar front-running tactics could be the key.

Daonethatgotaway made a seamless transition from the all-weather to turf when scoring last time, but the handicapper may have caught up with him, and he looks vulnerable off this mark.

Theophilos is another to consider after a solid effort on quicker ground last time out. However, it’s been quite some time since he last got his head in front, so he’s perhaps best watched for win purposes.

RED KING (WIN)

written by Toby Darby